In North America, daily purchases are part of the culture. On any given day, residents purchase anything from small trifles to large items. On downtown streets every other individual totes a brand name coffee as an accessory. Shopping malls are filled with eager fashionistas, while houses are being built with larger closet space. The rich and famous – or famous for being rich – make headlines for astronomical splurging. Socialite Paris Hilton spent $325, 000 US on a two-story mansion for her dogs equipped with beds, a chandelier, and a closet.
But it is not just the members of the millionaire’s club who spend recklessly. The World Watch Institute has recorded that only 12% of the world’s population lives in North America and Western Europe, yet they account for 60% of private consumption spending. The Sierra Club has calculated that the typical American buys 53 times as many products as someone from China. Paris Hilton is not alone in her shopping habits.
To counter-act over consumption, Ted Dave created Buy Nothing Day. The premise behind the event is to spend the Friday after American Thanksgiving (also known as Black Friday, one of the top ten shopping days in the states) without purchasing anything. Shopping abstainers are not able to try their luck at a lottery ticket from the corner store, pick up a carton of milk on the way home, or make any other purchases. Various events take place worldwide: during the Credit Card Cut Up volunteers at malls shred willing patron’s credit cards, during the Zombie Walk groups walk around malls gazing at lifeless shoppers, and during the Whirl-Mart conga lines push shopping carts without making purchases. Twenty-four hours and not a single cent spent.
Buy Nothing Day supporters argue that Western consumerism is out of control. This spending has resulted in diminishing natural resources. Six years ago, according to the World Resources Institute, gasoline consumption per capita in North America was 1,593.1 liters per person; 27 times more than in developing countries. Meanwhile the Energy Watch Group predicts that by 2030 global oil production will fall by 42 million barrels per day because of resource depletion. North American gas consumption is paving the way for the eradication of oil. By educating consumers to spend less and more sustainably, Buy Nothing Day hopes to thwart the exhaustion of natural resources. While Buy Nothing Day is primarily marketed as a 24-hour event, it encourages a life-long commitment to responsible consumption. Dave hopes that people will be inspired to prolong their activity throughout Christmas after participating in the day’s events. The optimal outcome is for individuals to remain committed to the cause by creating New Year’s resolutions after the holidays.
Although the movement supports a worthy cause, it has fallen under heavy criticism for its methodology. Who is fortunate enough to afford to buy nothing? While this statement may seem paradoxical, it raises the issue of privilege, which is central to the critique. In order to choose to participate in Buy Nothing Day, an individual must be categorized as a consumer. Those who simply cannot afford to purchase things on a regular basis are excluded. The power remains with the financially fit.
Each event is marketed very differently and falls on varying spots on the radical spectrum. It is up to each individual to decide how they will participate. Some can justify continuing to spend and consume more than their fair share of natural resources. Others can label themselves as consumers and opt for going 24 hours purchase-free. Where do you fit and why?
By Aleksandra Sagan
Blog Writer, Change Tomorrow’s World
